West Bend considers merging its two high schools

District weighs combining East and West high schools to boost efficiency and align resources

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The West Bend School District is considering merging its two high schools, West Bend East and West Bend West, which have operated as separate schools in the same building since 1970. District Superintendent Jennifer Wimmer says the idea has come up every 7-10 years, and the district is now revisiting it as part of a broader facilities review. Combining the schools could help with operational efficiencies, unified programming, and alignment of resources, but the district must also consider factors like athletic participation and revenue.

Why it matters

West Bend's two high schools have shared a campus for over 50 years, but declining enrollment projections and a desire to streamline operations have the district reconsidering whether maintaining two separate high schools is the best approach going forward. The merger could generate cost savings, but the district must carefully weigh the impact on student opportunities and community support.

The details

The West Bend high schools currently have a combined enrollment of 1,818 students, but that is projected to drop to around 1,500 by 2029-30 and 1,200 by 2037-38. While the schools already share a singular administration and academic programs, they maintain separate athletic teams and some other operations. Merging the schools could save an estimated $547,000 annually in duplicated athletic costs, though there would be some one-time startup costs. The district is gathering community feedback and plans to make a recommendation this spring, with any changes taking effect in the 2027-28 school year.

  • The West Bend high schools have operated as separate schools in one building since 1970.
  • The district projects enrollment will drop from 1,818 students currently to around 1,500 by 2029-30 and 1,200 by 2037-38.
  • The district held community conversations in February 2026 and plans to review feedback and develop recommendations this spring.
  • If approved, any changes to merge the high schools would take effect in the 2027-28 school year.

The players

Jennifer Wimmer

Superintendent of the West Bend School District.

West Bend East High School

One of the two high schools in the West Bend School District, which has operated as a separate school in the same building as West Bend West High School since 1970.

West Bend West High School

One of the two high schools in the West Bend School District, which has operated as a separate school in the same building as West Bend East High School since 1970.

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What they’re saying

“Every dollar that we spend as part of our facilities and capital improvements were going to the school as a whole, the programs as a whole, so we didn't commingle that question at that time, but we made a commitment to be revisiting it. So that places us to now in making sure that we surface that conversation for our community, our students, staff and families in the communities we serve.”

— Jennifer Wimmer, Superintendent (jsonline.com)

What’s next

The West Bend School Board plans to review community feedback and develop recommendations on the potential merger this spring, with a possible decision by the end of March or early April 2026. If approved, any changes would take effect in the 2027-28 school year.

The takeaway

The proposed merger of West Bend's two high schools reflects broader trends of declining enrollment and a push for operational efficiencies in school districts. While combining the schools could generate cost savings, the district must carefully balance those benefits against the potential impact on student opportunities and community support for maintaining separate high school identities.